Portable support for telephones.



No. 799,722. PATBNTED SEPT. 19, 1905.

' A. G. DAVIS. PORTABLE SUPPORT FOR TELEPHONES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 5,1905.

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AUGUSTUS G. DAVIS, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

PORTABLE SUPPORT FOR TELEPHQNES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Zatented Sept. 19, 1905.

Application filed January 5, 1905. Serial No. 239,703.

T0 at whom it mny concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUSTUS G. DAVIS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Portable Supportsfor Telephones, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in portable telephones and supportstherefor.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved support in theform of a flexible case to which the telephone apparatus is seon red andwhich may be folded about the said apparatus to cover and protect it andform a small compact package that may be carried in the pocket.

Another object of the invention is to provide a construction of casehaving flaps or sides which when the telephone apparatus is in use outof doors will serve as shields to direct the sound of the voice into thetransmitter and prevent the noise or currents of air from interfering.

The invention is useful in all cases where portable telephones areemployed. It is especially adapted for use in connection withstreet-railway and fire-alarm systems, where it often becomes necessaryto establish a telephonic communication directly with headquarters toreport trouble, or in case of fire departments to give orders that areto be executed promptly and withput error, such as might occur throughmost any system of gong-signals used by fire departments.

I am aware that portable telephones and outfits are now in use, and mypresent invention has been especially designed to overcome seriousobjections to the present devices because of their bulky character, aswell as the inconvenience in getting them into operation. By myinvention the telephone outfit is reduced in bulk and is capable ofbeing readily placed in a coat-pocket and is also protected from damagein case it be accidentally dropped or knocked against something, as isliable to occur.

While the accompanying drawings illustrate the invention in connectionwith a firealarm box, it is to be understood that this is merelyillustrative and that the invention may be employed in various kinds ofservice.

In the drawings, Figure 1 illustrates a per spective view of afire-alarm box opened and with my improved portable telephone outfitwhen the telephone is in use.

the connection made ready for use. Fig. 2 illustrates a side view of theopened case with the wall of the receiver-receptacle in section with thereceiver in position. Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of the folded casecontaining the telephone; and Fig. 4 is a top plan view of thetransmitter, showing the flaps of the case in position to serve as sideshields In the drawings, 1 designates the center or foundation plate ofthe portable support, which is provided with opposite side flaps 2 and 3and end or top and bottom flaps 4 and 5. These side and end flaps areall flexibly connected to the center plate and are preferably made ofsoft flexible leather or canvas, so as to permit-of drawing closelyabout the inclosed apparatus and also to serve as a cushion andprotection for the latter. The side flaps 2 and 3 also perform a usefulfunction during the operation of talking by serving as shields or wallsat opposite sides of the transmitter to prevent the escape of the soundof the voice while talking when the apparatus is in use out of doorswhere there is noise and wind, as will hereinafter be more fullydescribed.

A transmitter 6 of any preferred form is rigidly secured in a circularreceptacle 7, fixed on the inner side of the base or foundation plate 1and between the two opposite side flaps 2 and 3, and flexible cordconductors 8 extend from the transmitter and carry a plug connection 9at their ends. Cord conductors 10 are also connected through thetransmitter to the conductors 8, and said conductors 10 are electricallyconnected with a receiver 11. A receptacle 12 is also rigidly attachedto the foundation plate 1 and is shaped to correspond with the exteriorform of the receiver 11, so that the latter when not in use may befitted into said receptacle- 12 and there held.

The end flap 4, which is the top flap, is provided adjacent its edgewith hook-plates 13, which are preferably riveted to the inner surface.The hooks extend over the edge of the flap and are bent back toward thebase-plate on the exterior surface of the flap. A clip 15 i is alsosecured to the edge of the end flap 4 between the hook-plates 13, andsaid clip carries a ring 16 for a purpose to be presently described. Theend flap 5, which is the bottom flap, is provided on its outer surfacewith attached to the door of the box and showing I a hook 17 which whenthe end flaps are folded over the transmitter and receiver may be madeto engage the ring 16 on the flap I, and thereby hold the two end flapsin the folded position. The side flaps 2 and 3 are also provided withengaging devices 18, which serve to hold them together when they arefolded over the end flaps, as seen in Fig. 3.

As one example of the device in practical operation I will proceed todescribe the same when used in connection with a fire-alarm telegraphsystem. In such use one of these portable telephone equipments will besupplied for the proper officers in the department, so that any of themmay, either on the way to a tire or after reaching the fire-ground,quickly unfold and attach his telephone apparatus to 22, as seen in Fig.1.

a fire-alarm box and immediately get into communication withheadquarters. In making connection with a fire-alarm box the side flaps4: and 5 are disengaged. This can be done quickly while approaching thebox 19,.which is ordinarily attached to a post 20. The outer door 21 ofthe box is then opened, as is also the inner door 22, which is swungback. The exterior hooks 14s on the end flap L are then placed over theupper edge of the inner door The plug connection 9 when inserted in theplugblock 23 puts the telephone in operative condition, and thesignal-key 24: may then be operated to call headquarters. It will thusbe seen that the telephone is suspended by one of the flexible endflaps, while the broader side flaps 2 3 are free and may be swung to aposition at right angles with the base 1, as in Fig. 4:, so as toproject at each side of the operators face and form side shields todirect the sound of the voice into the transmitter, and thus assist inconducting a conversation with ease even on a noisy thoroughfare.

In street-railway service the plug-blocks 28 may be located atconvenient intervals along the line, and, if desired, the apparatus maybe held in the hand during the talking operation, as the side shieldswill perform their functions whether the case is suspended or merelyheld in the hand.

It is to be understood that the construction of the telephone apparatusis immaterial and may be altered to suit the requirements of theparticular service in which the same is to be employed.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A support for portable telephone apparatus comprising a base havingflaps projecting from opposite sides of said base; a transmitter securedto the base between the said flaps whereby the flaps may be folded overand cover said transmitter; a receiver; means on the base for holdingthe receiver to the base between said flaps, and wire connections forthe receiver and transmitter.

2. A support for portable telephone apparatus comprising a base withside flaps connected to and foldable toward each other over said baseand also having an end flap extending at right angles with respect toand between said first-named flaps and also foldable over said base, incombination with a transmitter secured to said base between said flaps,engaging devices on said end flap which serve to hang up the apparatus,a receiver and connectionsfor the receiver and transmitter.

3. A support for portable telephone apparatus comprising a base andflexible side and also end flaps which are foldable over said base, incombination with a transmitter secured to said base between said sideand end flaps, means on one of said flexible flaps by which theapparatus may be hung, a receiver and wire connections for the receiverand transmitter.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

AUGUSTUS G. DAVIS.

Witnesses:

OLIVER M. LA BARRER, G. WALLACE MURRAY.

